Latest Earthquake Headlines
All the headlines from our Earthquake Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Munich Re: ‘Ever Higher’ Nat Cat Costs; Ups Chile Quake Loss to $1 Billion
Jun 8 2010 // A bulletin from Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer, concludes that the “long-term trend towards ever higher natural catastrophe costs” looks set to continue, according to an analysis from its Geo...
10 Catastrophe Bonds Closed Before Hurricane Season Opening
Jun 1 2010 // Reinsurers transferred $2.35 billion in catastrophe risk to capital markets before the U.S. hurricane season that began Tuesday, higher than the $1.4 billion last year, as the catastrophe bond sector starts to resume...
RMS Announces New Parametric Loss Index for Japan Quake Risks
May 19 2010 // Risk Management Solutions announced the addition of Japan earthquake to its existing suite of parametric industry loss indices covering U.S. hurricane, U.S. earthquake, and Europe windstorm. RMS said: “Paradex Japan...
South Carolina Had Small Earthquake
May 18 2010 // Federal experts say a small earthquake struck near the South Carolina coast last week. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake occurred about 6 miles south southeast of Summerville shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday. It...
California Earthquake Fault Activity Map Shows 50 Additional Fault Lines
May 3 2010 // California geology officials have released an updated state seismic activity map that they hope will improve earthquake preparedness and construction decisions.The map, which had not been updated since 1994, includes more...
Aon Employs FAConnect Platform to Meet Facultative Chile Quake Demand
Apr 28 2010 // Aon Benfield announced that it is utilizing its “groundbreaking FAConnect placement platform to respond to client demand for expanded Chile earthquake capacity.” The system opens the way for Aon’s clients...
Zurich Estimates Chile Earthquake-related Losses at $200 Million
Apr 26 2010 // Zurich Financial Services announced that, based on preliminary estimates, it expects aggregate claims payments related to the earthquake in Chile of approximately $200 million before tax. Zurich added that the estimate is...
San Francisco Voters Urged to Pass $412M Earthquake Bond Measure
Apr 15 2010 // The mayor and other San Francisco officials are urging residents to approve a $412 million bond measure on the June ballot to help prepare for the next major earthquake. The measure would allocate $104 million to reinforce...
Death Toll from Southwestern China Earthquake Now at 300
Apr 14 2010 // The death toll from an earthquake in the mountainous Tibetan plateau in southwestern China has reached about 300, with more than 8,000 injured, state television reported on Wednesday, quoting a government official.
Minor Earthquake Reported in Southwest Virginia
Apr 14 2010 // There are no reports of damage from a minor earthquake that struck Southwest Virginia. The National Geological Survey’s Web site says the 2.5-magnitude temblor struck at 12:12 a.m. Tuesday. The epicenter was 8 miles...
Report: Q1 Catastrophe Bond Market Sees Sustained Improvement
Apr 14 2010 // Catastrophe bond issuance conditions saw sustained improvement in the first quarter of 2010, reflecting the increase in prominence of the insurance linked securities (ILS) asset class. Despite the continued improvement in...
Arkansas, Oklahoma Record Minor Earthquakes
Apr 12 2010 // The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded another earthquake in central Oklahoma, and an additional one in central Arkansas as well. A 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 7:42 a.m. April 8 about two miles southwest of...
7.8 Earthquake Rocks Indonesian Island of Sumatra
Apr 7 2010 // A major earthquake of 7.8 magnitude shook the northwestern coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Tuesday. A local tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, the Pacific Tsunami...
Experts Estimate $300 Million in Losses from Mexico Earthquake
Apr 6 2010 // Damage estimates from Sunday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Mexico, just south of California, are not expected to exceed $1 billion, and insured losses should not exceed $300 million, according to risk modeling firm...
California Earthquake Authority Supports Federal Catastrophe Insurance Bill
Mar 22 2010 // The Homeowners Defense Act (H.R. 2555), a bill that would provide a federal backup for states with catastrophe insurance funds, would reduce California earthquake insurance premiums by about 35 percent, according to...
8 New Markets in Response to Current Trends
Mar 22 2010 // Insurance Companies Generate New Programs to Bring in Additional Premium The last few years of the soft market have forced many carriers and agencies to get creative when it comes to bringing in additional premium. This...
First Tsunami Awareness Week: States To Test Communication System
Mar 22 2010 // In the wake of last month’s tsunami in Chile and less than six months after a tsunami hit American Samoa — both events that resulted in loss of life and property — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
SCOR’s Preliminary Quake, Storm Loss Estimates Around $130 Million
Mar 18 2010 // French reinsurer SCOR Group announced that based on preliminary estimates, it expects its related costs from the earthquake in Chile and Windstorm Xynthia to be approximately €95 million ($130 million) net pre-tax,...
CCRIF Considering Need to Expand Coverages after Haiti Quake
Mar 17 2010 // A bulletin from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) indicates that many of its member countries “are re-examining their preparedness for natural catastrophes, including their levels of coverage...
Swiss Re ‘sigma’ Study: Insured 2009 Disaster Losses Cost $26 Billion
Mar 16 2010 // Swiss Re’s annual sigma study has calculated that “natural catastrophes cost insurers $22 billion in 2009, while man-made disasters cost an additional $4 billion. Insured losses were highest in North America,...
